Cold, Cold Showers!

This week we were pretty sure the earth was going to be baptized by fire and the second coming must be near, because it is super hot here! 

Because our house is one of the best of the mission, we have two bathrooms, and one of the shower head-water heater things broke. So basically the bathroom with the cold shower has been mine, all mine. The other elderes are still taking hot showers, I don't know how they stand it.

Some missionaries put a wet towell on the bed to sleep or even put ice cubes on the towell to try and get some sleep. But we're lucky, there are parts of brazil that are even Hotter. But here's probably one of the driest.

This week we worked really hard. We talked to everyone that passed us on the street, knocked a lot of doors, visited the members to get references, everything that we should do as missionaries. We even had an investigator get a testimony about the book of mormon and accept to be baptized, but she will move Monday... haha. When we got to saturday night I prayed and said Lord it's in your hands now. We need people to come to church so they can be baptized, if it be thy will bless us with a miracle.

Saturday to sunday was the Dreaded DAY LIGHT SAVINGSSSSS and we lost an hour. So all the families we had to bring to church slept or it didn't work out. The member that was with us to give them a ride was starting to get frustrated. We went to the last house and I was super happy to see that the mom already had all the kids dressed and up! But then I heard the yelling inside the house and knew that something was up. Turns out her brother got drunk early that morning and told her she wasn't going anywhere, she had to go to his house and make lunch for everyone.

I was pretty down because we sift through a lot of people to find the ones who are ready, if someone doesn't come to church the first or second week we almost never visit them again, because we have to move on to the people that are ready to come. It's something that I never understood before the mission, but now it's part of life.

We got to church pretty down.. But in the middle of Gospel Principles a member brought a visitor in: Maria moved here from the Bahia and has attended church for like 3 months already! She needs to get married but she wants to be baptized and said the whole family will come this next week! 

I thought the Lord chose an awesome miracle, seeing as our golden investigator moved to another state, a golden investigator moved here and came to church in the same week.

The church is true, this is the Lord's work. If we keep the commandments and do all the Lord asks of us, we can be happy and grateful NOW and will receive life Everlasting.

Thanks mom and dad for always keeping your covenants and raising me to the Lord.

Love you all,

Elder Wallace

Me elder Bruno and Elder Casafus, our DL. 

Pequi popsicle in the office.

Elder Wallace's Epistle to the Family in Roosevelt, Salt Lake, and the surrounding Areas.

Hey Family!

So how are you all doing? 

This week week we worked real hard. Almost died fasting because it's really hot Here! Serious I've heard stories of missionaries that walk into the shower with their clothes on, get soaked, and then leave to work because they get dry in a half-hour.

I wake up everyday at about 5:45 because the sun is already up and burning! The suns not supposed to be up until way later! I have to stay in bed though because it's a rule now to not wake up before 6:30. haha. I guess to many missionaries were waking up to study or to work out... wierd problem right?

I'm reading Jesus the Christ, I started a month ago and I'm halfway through now. Mostly because I would read it while I was waiting for Elder Almeida to come out of the shower. and he takes FOREVER in the shower! haha. 

Elder Bruno got an email today from his girlfriend that their sealing is marked for January 10th, 1:00 pm... Haha. We're seeing the symptoms of being a little trunky but he works super hard, I admire him for that. 

This week we had about 12 people that said they would go to church... Unfortunately it didn't work out for them I guess. It was also The second round of the presidential elections AND "children's Day" I guess it's like father's or mother's day. You give presents to the kids and make popcorn and popcorn with that pink sugar stuff, and cotton candy. Needless to say all the kids in the neighborhood were all hyped up on sugar, and our lessons had to be short.

We're finding lots of people, just need to find the ones that will baptize! Luckily everyone here is real open. When we get someone that is not receptive, we just treat them well or say a prayer with them. Instead of trying to teach or argue with them, I try to set them up for the next time they meet the missionaries.

Super Jealous you guys saw meet the Mormons. Even if people talk bad about it, it still gets the church's name out there. John Tanner was converted because he went to denounce the missionaries for an anti-poster he saw, and ended up being baptized!!! Are we related to him?

Have a great week, 

Love you all!

Elder Wallace

Conference Rocks!

That was definitely the highlight of the week, General Conference. We got to watch all the sessions, I watched in Portuguese. including priesthood that was from 9-11pm!!!  We had a member to drive us home so It was fine. I loved Elder Godoy's talk especially about how we need to do our part for our patriarchal blessing to be fulfilled. The members loved that he spoke in portuguese! Elder Aidukatis talked about that here in Goiânia. I loved all of Pres. Uchtdorf's talks. Super good! The only down side of conference was that they turned all the lights off, and I dozed off during a session for a bit.

My new companion is Elder Bruno. He's a 27 year old convert, has a great conversion story. He's got 5 weeks of mission left, His wedding is marked for January 6th... haha. I'll still be in the mission! He lives in Iguaçu Falls, and that's where he'll get married. He speaks what I call "video Game English" that he learned playing xBox and watching Movies. so basically he whips out phrases like 'game over' 'level up' and ''let's head back to base Elder'' pretty funny. He's helped me learn some cool words in portuguese.

He's graduated in Information Technology and Computer Networking... He knows how to use that black window with the white letters to make the computers in the office do tons of cool stuff. 

Yesterday was the Presidential Election... Wow. Crazy stuff. 

This past month there have been cars playing advertising music and candidate jingles. People throw papers all over the place with the candidates voting number. Everybody has to vote here, Sunday morning we went to school for the Brazilian Elders to fill out the exemption form. There are like 12 candidates for president. It was interesting to see how that works. I'll attatch a foto of the sidewalk, the gutters fill up with the papers.

Also here are the fotos of Jaca as promised... Sorry it took so long, I finally found a good internet Café. Jaca gets WAY bigger than this. Inside It's white and fibery, and there are these big seeds covered in Yellow slime. Basically you get the seed and suck the slime off. It's got a banana-ish flavor and the texture is like a chewey sluggish thing. After we ate a bit we put it in the fridge to save for later.... Let's just say that was NOT a good Idea, and I took one for the team, put it in bag and chucked it after day 3.

Love Y'all and We'll keep fighting the good fight here, hopefully have some baptism pics here in a bit!

Elder Wallace

Elder Ashby my greenie!

Elder Bruno, my companion.

Jaca 

Two guys from Rio Verde at the Transfer. Elder Hopkins, Elder Wild. 

Election papers

The big caterpillar bus.

There Can Be Miracles!!!

First off. I'm really tired. But that's normal!

yesterday night I participated in my first missionary farewell for missionaries going home. We ate at president's house and everyone bore their testimonies. It made me more happy that I have a few months than trunky. Some really great guys that helped me a lot, it was good to hear their testimonies.

We got home way after a missionary should go to bed, and then this morning we had to drop a passport off to a sister to catch her flight at 6 a.m. Tomorrow we'll also be busy with the 12 new missionaries that will get here!

I wasn't transfered, but I've known that for about 2 weeks! haha. My new companion will be Elder Bruno!!!  (brazilian, he doesn't know yet) He's graduated from college in software and computing, and goes home this next transfer, will also get married in November. I think we'll get along well, he seems really chill. Reminds me of Bo Law.

This week I was devestated that our investigator won't be able to get baptized because she is struggling with smoking still. We won't give up on her, but we've got some new people that are fantastic.

We're teaching the oldest person I've ever taught, she's a referall from an elderly man in our ward. We're never too old to do missionary work! Also this week we were passing our investigators houses to wake them up for church when we saw two people at the buss stop. They excitedly waved us over and told us they were on their way to church! We had taught them a few weeks ago. Never thought they would go to church! haha.

Also, Alfter our baptismal date fell through, I had really prayed letting Heavenly father know I was sorry we hadn't baptized anyone for a while, and that I knew we were supposed to bring fruits and that I would keep doing my best.

At church there was a young women visiting that ran up to meet me excitedly. She lives in another ward in Goiânia, but apparently I had taught her mom in Barra do Garças, more than a year ago. She had gone to visit her mom, went to church and asked to be baptized after her first visit! She excitedly told me that she was preparing for a mission these next few months!

Later that day I got a call from Uberlândia and Rio Verde, two people I had taught there had also been baptized!

 I knew Heavenly Father was showing me that My labors are not in vain.

Love you all,

Have a fantastic week,

Se- cuida

Elder Wallace

JACA

This week the stake split was AWESOME!!! We got a ride for our investigator and all the missionaries got rides or rode the bus or went by foot. It was fantastic! Hilda went and she's excited to get baptized this Saturday. 

The best part was President Aidukatis's talk about obedience. He talked about how ready God is to bless us all the time, but his blessings depend on our obedience. Our patriarchal blessings are also dependant on our obedience. Like it says in DC 82:10 He is bound when we do what He says, But when we do not what he says, we have no promise.

Aidukatis is still known as the missionary who baptized the most people in Brazil. Legend has it that he brought bussloads of people to the church. I don't doubt it. He said in the mission he always told the investigators that Satan would send 3 angels to dissuade them.

1. The angel that says "Ha! Please, you don't believe in all this, it's ridiculous! False!"

If the person says "Yes! I do!"

2. He sends the next one that says "Alright, so it's true. But it's not for you! You're a sinner. It's a culture different than yours, you can't fit there, you don't want to change"

and

3. If the person is really faithfull he sends the last Angel who says, "Alright. It is true. It really is fantastic. But why do it today? You can always start tomorrow...."

That is so true! with our investigators and with us. Even in life outside of the mission (which is hard for me to imagine haha) 

This week I also ate the craziest fruit that I have ever seen. Jaca. It looks like an alien or dinosaur egg. Next week I'll send you some pics!

Love you all!

Elder Wallace

3 Stakes in Goiânia!!!

This next saturday will be the division of the Stakes! They've been waiting for this in Goiânia for about 15 years! So everyone is pretty excited. The funny thing is a lot of people think it will change the ward boundaries (rumors in our ward about having a new bishop) But really all that will change is which wards will belong to what stake.

We're all excited for the division. I'm excited to see Elder Aidukatis from the Area Presidency, who will come to choose the new stake president! He gave an awesome talk this past general Conference, and I love his talk "the Process of Faith to see Miracles". That talk was one of the first things President Kuceki asked us to study when he came to the mission, and has been an inspiration to me my whole mission!

We had a baptism marked for this saturday, but unfortunately she wasn't able to come to church so the baptism will be marked for next week. Transfers will happen in 2 weeks, and since we work in the office I already know who will be my new companion! unless something changes from now until then.

So we've been marking lessons with the members Saturday and Sunday, and it makes a huge diference. I think that's what's been missing for us to have more success here. Unfortunately this last week the visits fell through, but the members here are great, they help us out a lot.

Love you all!

Have a fantastic week!

Elder Wallace

The Adventures of Elder Wallace

So,

It's great to be a missionary!

This week we finally were able to take some members to visit our investigators. It makes ALL the difference! wow. There's a great family here that loves helping us out. They also gave me peanut butter and Banana Orange jelly. mmmm. Tasty PB and J.

We have got three families that are so so so close to getting baptized, we just need heavenly father to help tip the scale! I know it's hard to change, especially when they have a lot of negative influence and are afraid of what will happen if they try to live the Gospel. that's why our member lessons were so important! they were able to show that being baptized was the best thing that ever happened to them! 

So this week I've just been really happy. Things are always a bit tough, but I love being a missionary and serving the lord!

Two missionaries moved to a part of our ward that's a bit far, we're trying to open a branch there! So the good news our house now has 4 missionaries instead of 6. Six was really fun, but with four we have a bit more order haha.

This week I was reading about knowledge and faith. 

There was a possessed man and the demon said to Christ "i know that thou art the son of God"

and when Christ asked Peter who he was Peter responded with the same words, "Thou art the Christ, the son of the Living God"

They both knew the same thing, but the demon's knowledge only leads to his condemnation, 

Peter's testimonly lead to faith. works. He left everything that was near and dear to him, he followed Christ until his death on the cross. and Afterwards he went building up the kingdom, establishing the church of God and strengthening the saints. He endured prison, hardships, rejection, and eventually death with his faith unshaken. 

And that's what James means when he says, "faith without works is dead" True faith leads to action, righteous living strengthens our faith and conversion.

Love you all, 

Elder Wallace